Experts say risk to general population is 'very low'

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust say it is treating a patient for 'novel coronavirus' after they contracted the potentially deadly disease from a family member.

However, health experts say that the risk of the rare coronavirus to the general population "remains very low".

Professor John Watson, head of respiratory diseases at the HPA, said:

This case is a family member who was in close personal contact with the earlier case and who may have been at greater risk of acquiring an infection because of their underlying health condition.

To date, evidence of person-to-person transmission has been limited. Although this case provides strong evidence for person-to-person transmission, the risk of infection in most circumstances is still considered to be very low."

– Professor John Watson

The patient was initially given care in a single room on a ward, where infection controls were put in place.

Their condition deteriorated on Sunday and they were moved to an isolation room in critical care, where they are now described as "stable".